


The Prince

by Jathis



Series: Rome [3]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Brothers, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Murder, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 22:02:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7455522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Emperor defends his brother's honor</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince

A week after his little brother had recovered enough to be able to walk with the aid of a cane and handmaiden; Emperor Hux called for a celebration. The palace was filled with laughter and music, all of the nobles and high ranking members of the military invited. It was a celebration of his healing as well as a celebration of the Emperor's latest proclamation, naming Techie as a prince of Rome and publicly claiming him as his brother.

The cruelty happened late into the evening. Wine had loosened cruel tongues and Techie was walking across the room with one of his handmaidens guiding him by the elbow. He was smiling, giggling as she spoke to him in his ear.

"All hail the bastard slave prince of Rome!"

Techie froze up at the cruel words. Laughter followed soon after, hammering in his ears. Turia tried to comfort him but his heart was already racing and his head already hurt. He had to get out of there. He had to get away from the cruel words and laughter.

"Wa-wait!"

He tore himself out of the handmaiden's grasp and he fled from the room. He crashed into a pillar with a yelp of pain and staggered away. He didn't know where he was going in his blind flight. There was no one to guide him. There was blood running down from the scarred flesh of his eyes. He smashed into a wall and crumpled to his knees, sobbing in misery.

"Brother!"

He flinched and tried to make himself look small as he heard several sets of footsteps running towards him. The handmaiden had chased after him, followed close behind by the Emperor himself.

Hux was horrified at the sight of the blood on his little brother's pale face. He knelt down in front of him, cupping his face between his hands. "You are my brother," he whispered, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs.

"The bastard slave prince of Rome!" Techie wept, "you heard them!"

"I will kill them," Hux snarled. He narrowed his eyes dangerously, his hands trembling. "No one will insult my brother and live to do it again!"

Techie shook his head. "You cannot slaughter a nation. You know that. People have felt this way even before I was taken away in chains when we were small. My mother...our father never recognized her or me."

Hux's anger deflated and he sighed as he shook his head. He removed his cloak, wrapping it around Techie's small form. "What can I do? You are my brother. Different mother or not; we are blood." Carefully he picked Techie up, cradling him as he carried him back to his bedroom.

"The blood is from his tears," Turia softly explained to him. "He will need a salve to deal with the redness of the flesh."

Hux nodded as he helped Techie to bed. "Tend to him for me?"

"Of course."

"I have business to attend to," he growled. With that he left the room and he headed back to the gathering. He noted that things had become quiet and he smiled thinly, moving to stand beside Kylo. "Who spoke? Who has a complaint for their Emperor?"

For a long moment there was nothing and then one man stepped forward. "Emperor, he is only a bastard and a slave. How can you name him a prince? We will be seen as weak with such a man here!"

Kylo smiled knowingly when Hux held out a hand to him and he drew his sword, twirling it in his hand to offer him the hilt. "Emperor," he murmured.

The Emperor moved as the man tried to plead his case. His head fell to the ground with a wet thud, mouth still open. Hux cleaned the blade and returned it to Kylo, letting his eyes sweep across the room. "If anyone else speaks ill of my brother; they will not be so lucky. Do I make myself clear?"

No one dared to speak ill of the prince in front of the Emperor after that.


End file.
